New Release -- Miss Kathryn’s Gamble by Lynna Banning

 

Hired sight unseen as a housekeeper for widower Matt Sellers, prim Boston spinster Kathryn Bathhurst discovers they are both in for a surprise. Not only is Kathryn unexpected, she is unwanted by the handsome rancher who is still shattered by his wife’s death. On top of that, Matt is angry that his best friend has arranged for Kathryn’s surprise entrance into his life.

But Matt’s six children are so welcoming and needy that they steal Kathryn’s heart immediately. No matter how rude and distant Matt is to them all, Kathryn cannot abandon them to the hand-to-mouth drab existence they suffered through before she arrived. Kathryn understands them—she came from a life of drudgery and mistreatment herself, and she plans to make the most of this new life she’s come to—with or without Matt Sellers’s help!

It’s going to take some charm and wit to convince Matt that Kathryn belongs with his family. When he threatens to send his pretty new housekeeper back to Boston, Kathryn cleverly maneuvers him into a bargain:  If she can beat him in a challenge of his choice, he must allow her to stay.  He chooses an archery contest—and he’s positive he will win.

Now, everything depends on MISS KATHRYN’S GAMBLE!

EXCERPT:

One rain-splattered hour later, when Mr. Brownell slowed the horse and drove the buggy through a wide wooden gate, they were both soaked and shivering. He guided the horse as close to the front porch as he could, helped her step onto the ground, and plunked her suitcase down beside her. Then, he steered her up the steps onto the front porch, where he suddenly hesitated.

“You like children, Miss Bathhurst?”

“Well, yes, I suppose so. Does Mr. Sellers have children?”

“Um…yes, miss, he does.” He pushed open the front door, stepped in, and plunked down her valise. “There you go, Miss Bathhurst. Good luck.”

He turned and disappeared down the porch steps.

Someone behind her cleared his throat. She whirled around and stopped short to stare at a young boy.

“Howdy, ma’am. I’m Joshua Sellers.”

He had straggly brown hair that brushed the tips of his earlobes and eyes the color of her mother’s sapphire necklace.

“Hello, Joshua. I am Kathryn Bathhurst.”

“Yeah, I know. You kin call me Josh, ma’am.”

She eyed the scrawny boy in front of her. “How old are you, Josh?”

“I’ll be eleven next Sunday. Almost growed up.”

“Is your father at home?”

“Well, sorta. Not in the house, though. He’s out in the barn somewhere. You like children, Miz Bathhurst?”

“Well, yes. Do you have a brother or sister?”

“Yes’m.”

“Which, a sister or a brother?”

“Both.”

“Older or younger?”

“Both.”

“You are not the oldest?”

“Uh, no, ma’am. I’m in the middle.”

Kathryn frowned. “The middle of what? How many of you children are there?”

Josh looked down shame-facedly at the rain-shiny suitcase in his hand. “There’s six of us.”

“Six!” she yelped.